CIMM Committee Report

        We also share a common threat. The horrendous attack upon our neighbour on 11 September 2001 was an attack upon all democracies. We have realized our vulnerabilities and it is now incumbent upon Canada and the United States to strengthen our mutual security while maintaining the exchanges that have so greatly benefited both our nations. It is equally important that decisions we take during this time of heightened anxiety be based upon fact and not the faulty perceptions that have unfortunately been voiced by legislators and the media on both sides of the border. There is no evidence that a failure of Canadian border security measures in any way contributed to the tragic events of September 11th.

        The House of Commons Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration conducted this study in an expeditious manner, realizing that the people of Canada must have speedy assurance of a coordinated effort to enhance border security while maintaining the efficient movement of people and goods. The Committee’s objective in tabling this report is to contribute to the ongoing discussion of border issues that is being undertaken at various levels. In the course of its study, the Committee heard from a number of witnesses, including the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS). The Committee also travelled to various ports of entry in Eastern and Western Canada to assess the current state of border security and to talk with the people working on the front lines. Half of the Committee members visited Eastern Canada — including St. Stephen and Woodstock in New Brunswick, and Lacolle, Stanstead and Montreal in Quebec — and the other members toured key ports of entry in Western and Central Canada ? including Vancouver, British Columbia, Emerson, Manitoba, and Windsor, Ontario. In the course of these visits, the Committee had the opportunity to meet with representatives from such Canadian and U.S. bodies as Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency (CCRA), the RCMP, CSIS, the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (USINS) and the U.S. Customs Service (USCS). In some locations, we also met with Canadian provincial officials, and toured both Canadian and U.S. border facilities.

        It has become clear to the Committee that when addressing the issue of security, the border must be viewed as a continuum. We must not focus solely on individuals presenting at a port of entry. We must look at the entire process involved in international travel, trade and migration. From the time that someone purchases an airline ticket or applies for a visa, our security procedures must be in effect. Working with the United States and other allies, we must focus our collective resources — particularly intelligence resources — to meet the challenges facing our nations.

        In the previous Parliament, this Committee studied the issue of border security in the context of the refugee determination process. In our report entitled Refugee Protection and Border Security: Striking a Balance, tabled in the House of Commons in March 2000, we recommended various measures, many of which have now been implemented. This report builds upon our previous work and addresses newly raised issues and concerns.

        As the Committee cautioned in that earlier report, the fact that immigration and border security are being examined together should not be taken to imply that immigrants or refugees pose a particular risk to Canada. On the contrary, immigration has for centuries been the engine driving the development of our country. Today, more than ever, it is vital that Canada continue to be a welcoming land to ensure our economic growth. In this report, the Committee firmly believes that the following points must be emphasized: